Avoid Falling Victim to Medicare Telemarketing Scams

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Avoid Falling Victim to Medicare Telemarketing Scams

Mankato, MN, April 18, 2017 – If you have questions about your Medicare coverage or costs associated with Medicare, contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.  The Senior LinkAge Line® is a service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging®, Inc.

In recent years, telemarketing scams have become an easy way to prey on older adults, costing victims thousands of dollars and, in some cases, their identity. Below are some tips that can help you avoid becoming victim to common telemarketing scams.

  • Medicare will not call you to ask for a Medicare number, bank account information or request that you purchase a new Medicare card.
  • Often scammers will call impersonating a distressed family member or state they are calling on a family member’s behalf during an emergency.  Ask the caller to leave a contact number, then call a family member to verify if a loved one is in trouble.
  • Remember that you cannot win a lottery or sweepstakes without knowingly entering a contest.  If you receive a call informing you that you have won money or a prize, just hang up.
  • A robocall is a phone call that uses a computerized autodialer to deliver a prerecorded message.  If you receive a robocall offering free services, money or prizes hang up.

If you feel you have been the victim of a telemarketing scam or would like to report a scam that you have experienced, call the Senior LinkAge Line®. The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm or visit www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat with a specialist during business hours.

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Free New to Medicare Classes Available

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Will You be New to Medicare?

Attend a Free Class to Help You Understand Your Options

There are important decisions that need to be made when you become eligible for Medicare. Making the wrong decision can lead to inadequate coverage and financial penalties. The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging® (MNRAAA) is sponsoring monthly two-part educational sessions for people who are becoming eligible for Medicare. Sessions are intended for people who will be turning age 65 in the near future or are becoming eligible for Medicare because they have been receiving Social Security disability benefits.

This past March, MNRAAA began offering monthly two-part classes in Mankato to help individuals learn about Medicare and ways to search their coverage options. In 2017, classes will also be offered in Slayton and in Montevideo. The first session provides attendees with an overview of Medicare and their coverage options. During the second session, attendees learn how to research their options using non-biased tools, such as the Medicare website.

To find out more information and register for a class, call the Senior LinkAge Line® at  1-800-333-2433.

The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist.

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Volunteers Help Make Medicare Open Enrollment Successful

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Another successful Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) has ended. Thanks to the hard work and numerous hours donated by our Senior LinkAge Line® volunteers, approximately 60 volunteer-staffed enrollment events were held in southwest Minnesota. Because of these events, hundreds of people were provided in-person assistance with researching their Medicare plan options for 2017.
The assistance provided by our volunteers is often times life changing. This year at one of our open enrollment sites, a volunteer met with two different people over the age of 80 to review Medicare Part D plan options. Within two hours he had assisted both people in saving an average of $10,000 each on their medication costs for 2017.

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